The Labor enquirer., 1887-03-26
a s0clALIsT<cAMPl !
No Dance House Deyiltries in
the Kaweah Cooper
alive Colony.
How the Workers, When Left
Free From Capitalist Con-
troll, Do Their Work.
No Orgles-No "yolly Times''-
Weeping. Ruined Glrls-No
He'll On Earth.
For The Enquirer.

Occasionally reports Of Q highly sen.
sational character are published regard
Ing the depravity and vice Of Q class Of
people known as Socialists. An EN-
ouiRER reporter Yesterday called upon q
member Of the Kaweah cooperative
colony Of Tulare county. California, who
Is stopping in this city. and asked him
about these things.
"Yes." said he. "there is colony such
Us you describe. composed OF intelligent
men and women who have started out
TO live q rational life, The prodigious
work thev have accomplished in so
short time is evidence that they are
not mere theorists. incabable Of putting
their plans into practice"
"Dance.house2 No. my friend, such
an institution commonly known as a
dance-house could not exist there. Such
places are established and run by
thieves for the purpose Of robbing the
foolish laborer Of the few dollars he g
made during the week. Dancing and
other healthful recreations are INDUCED
in and encouraged in our colony. but
there Is. and can be, no pandering TO the
vices Of the weak for the sake of gain
no enterprises for individual profit be-
Ing allowed to exist. Our colonists pro.
vide for their own recreation, as they
do for their food or any other necessity.
Committees exist whose duty 1t Is to
To- k after such matters. For instance,
we have committees on music, singing,
dancing. literature. science and art, in
addition to the several committees en-
gagged in looking after the production
and distribution of commodities"
THEY MAKE THEIR OWN LAWS.
"Our coloni ,ts have established code
Of laws u govern themselves by. The
first principle Of our people Is to pre-.
serve harmony at all hazards. In case
Of dispute between individuals. the
matter Is referred to the committee on
arbitration. and IL not settled satisfact-
orilv there, Is referred TO the whole
membership, whose judgment is final.
Saturday night is the regular meet
log night Of the colonists. Business sf
fairs generally occupv about an hour,
after which q general iolli6cation. but
no excesses, are INDUCED in. Colonists
drink. or not. as they choose, but no
liquors are publicly dispensed. The first
case Of intoxicaiion In our colony has
vet 70 be reported"
SUNDAY.
"0ur people having learnt to think
for themselves are not, at present, hay.
ing anv "divine" to draw any glo wing
pictures Of either hell or heaven. They
spend their Sunday In excursions, hunt
ing, fishing, base ball, rife practice and
other healthful amusemente. On Mon
day they 90 10 work thoroughly re-
freshed ana invigorated.
women are always treated with the
greatest courtesy and respect. The idea
Of alluring and tstraylng them. would
be regarded with the utmost abhorrence
bv any member Of our colony. II is
only when an inordinate desire to ecu
mulste riches has taken hold upon men,
and transformed them into 6ends incar-
nate. that such things sre possible.
Socialists 1enounce and desire to
abolish the system under which these
horrors You speak Of are made possible
THY would substitute for the present
poverty.breedin9, wsr-menacing, sui
cide-provoking, idi.t'producing, jsil'fill'
iua competitive system. one Of simple
cooperation. whore the incentive tt
crime accumulation Of richcs) would bt
removed; where true happiness would
be promoted and education and indus
trv fostered. J. J. NJ.